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 about 600l. by the transaction. A charge of heresy was also brought against him on the ground that his earlier comments on the first chapter of St. John in the Family Bible, which were substantially reproduced in the new bible, savoured of Sabellianism, and at the association held at Llandeilo Fawr on 25 May 1791 he was expelled from the methodist connection, chiefly at the instigation of Nathaniel Rowlands, son of Daniel Rowlands [q. v.] of Llangeitho, and, it is also believed, of Thomas Charles of Bala. The death, a short time previously, of the elder Rowlands and of William Williams (1717–1791) [q. v.] of Pantycelyn (whose last work was probably his defence of Williams in a tract called ‘Dialogus’) gave an opportunity for the younger men to assert their ascendency, and this probably accounts for the time chosen for the attack, though the offending remarks had been first published twenty years previously. Williams made more than one appeal for readmission, but in vain; he was guilty of nothing worse than a confused mysticism with reference to the doctrine of the Trinity, and the cruel treatment meted to him after his unrivalled services to Welsh methodism stands out as the darkest passage in the history of that body. Williams retained possession of a chapel which he had been instrumental in having built about 1771 on his own land in Water Street, Carmarthen, and here he continued to preach till his death; while the baptists and independents also readily placed their pulpits at his disposal.

He and his wife lived for a time at Pibwr and at Moelfre, near Carmarthen; but, according to tradition, were ejected from the latter owing to Williams's methodistical practices. He eventually settled at a farm called Gelli Lednais in the parish of Llandyfeilog, where he died on 8 Aug. 1796, and where, on 8 March 1822 at the age of ninety-seven, died his widow also. Both were buried in Llandyfeilog churchyard. On 30 Aug. 1748 Williams married at Llanlleian chapel, Carmarthenshire, Mary, the only daughter of John Jenkins, ‘a gentleman farmer’ of Gors, in that neighbourhood. He was survived by three sons: Eliezer Williams [q. v.], John (d. 1798?), and Peter Bayly Williams (see below).

A portrait of Williams, done at Bristol, is known to have formerly existed; but that which has been extensively circulated in Wales is an enlargement of a spurious portrait issued in the first instance with the Carnarvon edition of the Family Bible in 1833, and purporting to be reproduced from the ‘Gospel Magazine’ for 1777, but this was denounced at the time by his son Peter Bayly Williams as unauthentic (Y Gwyliedydd, 1834, x. 54). There are several letters of Williams's preserved in various collections; one at Bala College has been printed in ‘Y Drysorfa’ for September 1895. There are other letters of his at Trevecca College, while several relics (including one letter) are in the possession of his descendant, Mr. J. Humphreys Davies of Cwrtmawr. The centenary of Williams's death was celebrated in September 1896 by the opening of a memorial chapel belonging to the Welsh methodists at Pendine, close to Williams's birthplace.

Besides his strictly religious labours, Williams did much to raise the standard of Welsh literature. Almost before he had completed his Family Bible, he undertook the chief burden of the editorship of what was the earliest Welsh magazine—‘Trysorfa Gwybodaeth, neu Eurgrawn Cymraeg’ (Carmarthen, fifteen fortnightly numbers, 8vo, at 3d. each, 3 March to 15 Sept. 1770; see Y Traethodydd, 1873 p. 44, 1884 p. 176, and Dr. Lewis Edwards's essays—Traethodau Llenyddol, pp. 505–47).

In addition to the works already mentioned, the following were Williams's chief publications: 1. ‘Myfyrdod y Claf,’ Carmarthen, 1759. 2. ‘Rhai Hymnau ac Odlau Ysbrydol,’ a volume of Welsh hymns and elegies, Carmarthen, 1759, 12mo. 3. ‘Traethawd am Benarglwyddiaeth Duw,’ being a translation of Elisha Coles's ‘Discourse of God's Sovereignty,’ Bristol, 1760; 6th ed. 1809. 4. ‘Hymns on various subjects. … Together with the Novice Instructed,’ Carmarthen, 1771. The fifth hymn in this volume is ‘Guide me, O Thou great Jehovah,’ which Williams aided the author, William Williams (1717–1791) [q. v.], to translate from the Welsh (, Dict. of Hymnology, pp. 77, 1596). 5. ‘Galwad gan wyr Eglwysig at bawb ffyddlon i gydsynio mewn gweddi, yn enwedig tra parhao'r rhyfel presenol,’ 2nd edit. 1781. 6. ‘Cydymaith mewn Cystudd,’ Carmarthen, 12mo, 1782. 7. ‘Ffordd Anffaeledig i Foddlonrnydd,’ a translation, 1783; 2nd edit. Llanrwst, 1830, 12mo. 8. A translation of Bunyan's ‘Christian Conduct,’ Carmarthen, 1784. 9. ‘Cyfoeth i'r Cymry,’ selected translations from A. M Toplady's ‘Works,’ 1788. 10. ‘Marwnady Parch Daniel Rowlands,’ an elegy, 1791. 11. ‘Dirgelwch Duwioldeb neu Athrawiaeth y Drindod,’ 1792. 12. ‘Tafol Gywir i bwyso Sosiniaeth’ (1792), being a reply to a unitarian work published earlier in the same year by Thomas Evans (1766–1833) [q. v.] 13. ‘Gwreiddyn y Mater,’ 1794. The last three works were written to explain his theological views as